Roland Barthes (b. 1915, France – d. 1980, France)
The Death of the Author, 1968

In Participation, edited by Claire Bishop, 41-45. London: Whitechapel Gallery.

Why have I overlooked The Death of the Author for so long? I’ve come across numerous references to it before, most of the time in the contexts where genius of the author was to be challenged. And that part has never been particularly controversial or interesting for my part. It did not cross my mind that Barthes was connecting it to “the birth of the reader” (p.45) – and that part is most relevant to me, always willing to acknowledge and push more responsibility for artistic experience onto the audience.

As it turns out, Barthes not only criticises “closing” of the writing by imposing an Author – he also lashes it out at the critics “explaining” the text by “discovering” the author. This is yet another of my concerns – I am troubled when audience tries to “decode” my work as if it had a “write answer” hidden somewhere.

“…there is one place where this multiplicity is focused and that place is the reader…” (ibid.) Amen!